With less than 500 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Miami is ramping up preparations to welcome an estimated 600,000 fans in South Florida next summer.
But hosting an event of this scale comes with challenges — from massive fundraising efforts to the logistics of managing fan engagement.
At the heart of these preparations is Alina Hudak, a longtime public servant who now leads the Miami Host Committee for the event as president and CEO. Hudak has more than 40 years of experience in Miami-Dade County and Miami Beach government.
READ MORE: Miami FIFA World Cup Committee CEO's goal: Make city 'the envy' of all other 2026 host cities
“I've been a sports fan my whole life,” Hudak said. “Sports is a true global unifying force. And so for me to be a part of such an incredible event and to be a part of something that is unifying and really creates community … I find that very exciting and a real challenge.”
WLRN’s Ammy Sanchez spoke with her about that journey — and her vision for Miami’s role as a 2026 FIFA World Cup host city. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.
WLRN: You have worked in the Miami Dade County and the Miami Beach government. What inspired you to join the sports world and now take on this role?
HUDAK: I have served in public service in this community for 40-plus years. South Florida, Miami means a lot to me, means a lot to my family. And so for me, this was a legacy moment for our community. And I felt that when the offer came, it was challenging, but at the same time, something that I very much wanted to be a part of.
What would you say excites you the most about being the new CEO and president of the Miami Host Committee?
I've been a sports fan my whole life. I love every sport. I love American football. I love soccer. I love basketball, professional, [and] college. My daughters grew up playing every sport. I think that I find that sports is a true global unifying force. And so for me to be a part of such an incredible event and to be a part of something that is unifying and really creates community, creates a really great opportunity for engagement for everyone in South Florida to be a part of, not only from the participation perspective and the attendance perspective, but from the volunteering perspective… there [are] so many opportunities for people to be involved with the World Cup in different ways. I find that very exciting and a real challenge.
You worked in the Miami-Dade County government for over 25 years. You also became the county manager and deputy manager. Do you think that has given you a better understanding of how to showcase Miami's diversity and culture as a host city?
I think absolutely both my 35 years with Miami-Dade County government and my four years at the city of Miami Beach give me a very interesting perspective. There [are] so many aspects of the logistical and operational support that go into a World Cup, everything from public safety to transportation, mobility, the relationships with all the different governments that are going to be a part of [the event]. And all that knowledge and expertise, 40 years of working in those environments, I think are something that are really going to be beneficial to me for purposes of being able to provide leadership to the efforts and everything that we're required to do.
What is your overall vision for Miami as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
We're committed to putting on events that are of the caliber that a global destination deserves. And so we have a huge challenge ahead because we do have a lot of fundraising that goes into this process and in order for us to be able to deliver on that quality type event — a fan festival that is of the quality that we deserve — we have a lot of fundraising to do.
But I think for me, my biggest commitment is the fan engagement piece. We know that there will be people [who] will come to our community from all over the world who may not necessarily have a ticket to any of the matches. And they're here because they love the sport. They love the World Cup environment. They want to experience the city. So we want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to have fan experiences. Not only for those who will be attending the matches, but for those who are just visiting our city and quite frankly, for our residents. We want our residents who may not have the opportunity to go to feel a part of all of it.
There are 48 teams competing in the 104-game tournament. Sixteen cities will host games in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. How does Miami plan to build excitement in the community about the games that are to be played here?
We'll be doing a lot of different things. We have multiple milestone moments … I think everybody knows World Cup is coming, but it does seem far away. From a planning perspective, it's not, from a planning perspective, the time is going to fly. We're going to have in June the one-year mark where we'll be planning community celebrations.
How do you plan to ensure that Miami stands out among other host cities?
Well, we're Miami, right? So we stand out just because of who we are … I think Miami in and of itself just has so much to offer on a regular day. So we are committed to taking all of that, to taking the diversity that defines our community, to taking what we represent and what we stand for.
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